SAN DIEGO, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Republican San Diego City Councilman Kevin Faulconer and Democratic colleague David Alvarez will battle in a runoff to replace disgraced ex-Mayor Bob Filner.

Faulconer led a field in Tuesday's special election, capturing 43.5 percent of the vote, followed by Alvarez, a distant second with nearly 26 percent of the vote, results posted on the San Diego County website indicated. Qualcomm executive Nathan Fletcher was third at 24 percent and former city attorney Michael Aguirre was in fourth with 4 percent.

The remaining seven candidates each received less than 1 percent of the vote.

Because no one received more than 50 percent, the top two finishers will spar in a runoff likely to be in February, U-T San Diego reported.